Depurator



(Ne Medel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 7

E. J. HARDING.

DEPURATOR.

170,577,297. Patented Peb. 16, 1897.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZA J. HARDING, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DEPURATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,297, dated February16, 1897.

Application filed November 21, 1895. Serial No. 569,645. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZA J. HARD1NG,a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado,have invented a new and useful Depurator, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to depurators; and it has for its object toeffect certain improvements in apparatus of this class that are designedfor producing vacu ums for the treatment of diseases in the human body.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is toprovide a depurating apparatus adapted to receive the entire body of aperson for the purpose of subjecting the body to the remedial effects ofa vacuum, and in the accomplishment of this result the inventioncontemplates an apparatus easily handled and at the same time whichshall provide for the regular exhaustion of air, so that the treatmentwill be accompanied by the least possible discomfort and absence of anyinjurious eects to the patient.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a depuratorconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical longitudinalY sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan Viewwith the flexible hood and the adjustable support therefor removed. Fig.4 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing moreA clearly theair-tight gasketjoint between the vacuum-box and the coversectiontherefor. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view ofthe iiexiblehood and the supporting device therefor. Fig. 6 is a detail sectionalview on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, illustrating the arrangement of the pumpinside of the vacuum-box.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates asubstantially elliptical vacuum-box, forming the main body of thedepurating apparatus and being positively-air-tight, so that a partialvacuum can be readily produced therein. The said elliptical vacuum-box 1is provided in the top thereof, at one side of its center, with themanhole 2, surrounded by an upwardly-projecting manhole-flange 3, and itis of course understood that the manhole 2 is sufficiently large toadmitthe body of a person who,when being treated, sits on asupporting-stool 4, standing on the bottom of the box 1 and arrangeddirectly below the manhole 2, in the top thereof. The manhole-ange 3 isencircled at its outer side by a curved seat-plate 5, in which is fitteda tubular pneumatic gasket 6,which is adapted to provide an air-tightconnection between the vacuum-box 1 and the cover-section 7 therefor.

The cover-section 7 for the vacuum-box 1 projects a sufficient distanceabove the top of the box to provide for inclosing the body of thepatient below the neck, and said coversection is hinged at one side bymeans of a strap-hinge 8 to the top of the box 1, and the joint of saidhinge 8 is disposed at a point beyond one side of the manhole 2, so thatwhen the cover-section 7 is thrown open .the same will be carried to aposition entirely away from the hole 2, so as not to interfere with aperson getting in or out of the vacuum-box, as clearly illustrated indotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and when the cover-section '7`is thus thrown open the same is prevented from falling forward by meansof a stop-chain 9, attached at one end to the flange 3 and at its otherend to the lower edge of the cover-section '7. The cover-section 7 isprovided at its lower edge with an outturned joint-bead 10, adapted torest directly on top of the tubular gasket 6 to form an air-tight jointtherewith, and when the cover-section is closed onto the tubular gasketthe same is locked in its closed position by means of a lock-bail 11,pivot-ally attached at l2 to the unhinged side of the cover-section 7and adapted to detachably engage over the catch projection 13, projectedoutward from a top corner of the box 1.

The hinged cover-section 7 is provided in the top thereof with aneck-opening 14, through which the head of a patient is passed in eitherclosing or opening the cover-section, and the said neck-opening issurrounded by an upwardly extending hood flange 15, within which isremovably seatedV a pair of registering semicircular neck-plates 16,which are fitted in position so as to it reasonably close IOO about theneck of a patient when properly adjusted in position within theapparatus, so that the effects of the vaou um produced within theapparatus will be felt more severely by the body below the neck, as willbe readily understood.

The hood-flange 15, surrounding and rising above the neck-opening 14,has tightly fitted thereto the lower edge of the flexible hood or cap17, which is provided in one side with a face-opening 18, whichsurrounds the patients face, so that breathin gis not interfered with.The flexible hood or cap 17 is made of rubber cloth or any othersuitable impervious material and has fitted in the top thereof ametallic supporting-plate 19, to which is attached the lower end of asupporting screwrod 20, extended above the hood 17 and loosely passedthrough the perforation in the upper cross-bar 21 of a skeletonbracket-frame 22, secured on top of and rising above the coversection 7.Above the bar 2l the screw-rod 2O has mounted thereon an adjusting-nut23, preferably provided with a handle 24 for manipulating the same, soas to provide means for adjusting the top of the hood 17 to the dcsiredelevation. By reason of the adjustable support for the top of the hoodjust described it will be understood that the top of the hood will besupported free from the top of the head of the patient, so that when avacuum or partial vacuum is produced within the vacuum-box the hood 17will not be drawn so tightly down over the head of the patient by thepressure of air on the outside thereof as to cause an uncomfortable andundesirable pressure. on the head.

To provide for the exhaustion of the air within the apparatus asingle-cylinder airpump 25 is employed. rlhe cylinder of the pump 25 isarranged entirely within the vacuum-box 1, and is suitably supportedfrom the under side of the top of said box. The pump 25 is constructedin au ordinary manner, but the discharge or exhaust pipe 26 thereof isangled, so as to extend through the top of the box 1, as at 27, toprovide for the convenient discharge of the air, and the piston orplunger rod 27a of the pump reciprocates through the top of the'box l,and is suitably attached to an intermediate point of the pump handle orlever 28, pivoted at one end Y to the upper end of a link 29, the lowerend of which link is pivotally supported, as at 30, on top of the box 1.The degree of exhausinterior of said box, and the vacuum or partialvacuum within the apparatus may be relieved at any time by opening therelief-cock 33, fitted to the front side of the cover-section 7.

Suitable handles 34 at opposite sides of the box 1 and the cover-sectiontherefor provide means for handling the apparatus.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and1n any advantages of theherein-described depuratin g apparatus will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be understoodthat changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a depurator, a vacuum-box having a top manhole, ahingedcover-section working over said manhole and provided in its top with aneck-opening surrounded by an upwardlyextending hood-flange, a pair ofregistering semicircular neck plates removably iitted within saidhood-flange, a flexible hood attached at its lower edge to said dan ge,andan adjustable rigid support for the top of said hood, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a depurator, a vacuum-box having a top manhole, a cover-sectionarranged over said manhole and provided in its top with a neck-opening,a iexible hood secured at its lower ed ge to the cover-section over saidneckopening, a skeleton bracket-frame arranged on top of thecover-section, a screw-rod loosely working through the top of said frameand carrying at its lower end a supporting-plate fitted in the top ofthe hood, and an adjusting-nut mounted on said rod above said frame,substantially as set forth.

3. In a depurator, a vacuum-box having a cover-section provided in itstop with a neckopening, a flexible head-confining hood secured at itslower edge to the cover-section over said neck-opening, and a rigidsupport for the top portion of the flexible hood to prevent the latterfrom being drawn too tightly over the head of the patient by the vacuumwithin the box, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELIZA J. HARDIN G.

Witnesses R. B. BLYTHE, THEO. G. SMITH.

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